Experience with my Dr.

I just wanted to share a personal experience I had with a Dr. I see quite a few stories about Dr's who don't believe benzo's are that addictive. My Dr and I had a conversation about how addictive benzo's are yesterday.

 

My Dr is psychiatrists that specializes in addictions.

 

I have been suffering greatly since November when I reached .5 mg of K. Throughout my time tapering with this Dr, he lets me do most of the talking usually. I tell him about whats going on with me and he asks me if I want to go down in dosage anymore. This time I went into detail describing how bad my anxiety is and how I feel trapped at home all the time.

 

He told me that in his 20 years in doing this, he would say 5% of his patients tapering benzodiazepines either A: Do not make it to completely benzo free and sometimes up dose during taper or B: They return to benzo's after some time off. He acknowledged that I could make it to benzo free yet still feel withdrawal symptoms for months or years to come. He basically gave me the impression that benzo's are such a powerful drug that I could be stuck on them for a very long time, and may never feel "quite right" without them.

 

One of the buddies on here thought that it might be worth a share that there is a Dr out there that understands that this withdrawal could go on for many months or years. I wish for all of the buddies sakes that there were more Dr's that understood how difficult it is for us.

It is very good you have found a doctor who is knowledgeable .. this should be the norm, not the exception.

I just wanted to share a personal experience I had with a Dr. I see quite a few stories about Dr's who don't believe benzo's are that addictive. My Dr and I had a conversation about how addictive benzo's are yesterday.

 

My Dr is psychiatrists that specializes in addictions.

 

I have been suffering greatly since November when I reached .5 mg of K. Throughout my time tapering with this Dr, he lets me do most of the talking usually. I tell him about whats going on with me and he asks me if I want to go down in dosage anymore. This time I went into detail describing how bad my anxiety is and how I feel trapped at home all the time.

 

He told me that in his 20 years in doing this, he would say 5% of his patients tapering benzodiazepines either A: Do not make it to completely benzo free and sometimes up dose during taper or B: They return to benzo's after some time off. He acknowledged that I could make it to benzo free yet still feel withdrawal symptoms for months or years to come. He basically gave me the impression that benzo's are such a powerful drug that I could be stuck on them for a very long time, and may never feel "quite right" without them.

 

One of the buddies on here thought that it might be worth a share that there is a Dr out there that understands that this withdrawal could go on for many months or years. I wish for all of the buddies sakes that there were more Dr's that understood how difficult it is for us.

 

Thanks for posting this.  Your doctor sounds very knowledgeable on the topic.  It is wonderful that you found him.

That's great to hear about your psychiatrist.  It makes me feel better knowing that there are docs like him out there. 

dear MTB

 

sorry to hear you're suffering so much.

 

but so glad you've made it so far!  and really hope you are able to walk off, stay off and heal.

 

my GP sent a Psych [don't think addiction specialist tho] -- to my home [housebound too, suffering horribly, pretty much disabled].

 

your Psych sounds compassionate as well as candid and benzo-wise.

 

my Psych said the same thing -- only not so compassionately -- he just said i'd be 'worse off the K than on it' -- and that i should more than quadruple my original dose...!?

 

at the time, i'd already been updosed more than double -- also direct switched, then Ashton, then cut-off Ashton, with big cuts....  by my kind but clueless GP -- who had acknowledged i reached tolerance at our 1st appt. -- and should get off the benzo.  he was trying.... but he totally destabilized me in the process.

 

the Psych however, did not believe i'd ever reached tolerance, nor would i at 4m K -- so that confused me....

 

he then discharged me on the spot -- b/c i didn't want to updose to 4mg K, nor did i want Lyrica [his other offer].

 

anyway, he really upset me -- tho he was candid -- it totally re-framed my mindset into a awfully negative state. 

 

until then, it had been positive + confident -- to keep trying to taper off and be benzo free, and heal.

 

now i'm stuck, and fear i'll never heal -- b/c of what, or rather, how, my Psych relayed the same info as yours.

 

i guess it's called 'bedside manner'.

 

anyway, 3 months later, i just got so desperate and tried Lyrica, which made things so much worse -- so stopped.

 

now in limbo, hoping Lyrica sxs subside, and trying to regain confidence and positive mindset, to try tapering, somehow.... that's when i joined BB, seeking support.

 

good grief, it's a tough road.

 

my former GP who Rx'd the K, for a traumatic short term situation -- said try get off it asap -- she warned me....

 

but my new Rheum. said to stay on K for at least 1 year.... so i got confused... and soon enough, it was too late.

 

but so happy for you that your Psych is compassionate and candid, very lucky indeed.

 

peace + healing to you

 

That's great to hear about your psychiatrist.  It makes me feel better knowing that there are docs like him out there.

 

I felt much better too, definitely took a load off of my shoulders.  It feels good just finally knowing there is no pressure to drop as fast as I was. I can just take my time with this Doc and he actually understands what is happening to my brain!

 

The first doctors' office I spoke with(first to actually offer to taper me and not give me comfort drugs for CT) wanted to take me down 1mg per week, I told him no way Jose  Glad you enjoyed the read.

Your doc sounds great. Being validated by your doc is so helpful in this. And to have one that doesn’t rush you. Great find. Took me a few ppl before I found one who is like yours. Very open to whatever info I share and open to me taking yrs to taper. I direct the taper so he doesn’t help w/ that per se but it is great having a warm bodied professional on my team. I think many docs know abt the dangers- they aren’t the ones causing this epidemic. They aren’t the ones ppl on here complain abt. But there are enough who don’t know the dangers... enough to cause an epidemic.